Chapter 2 – Poor Victor
As the dawn dispelled the darkness and the sky grew pale and bright, Sheto started walking from the hollow of the campsite.
‘Good morning, Sheto.’
“Aye, good morning.”
What spread out before him was a nearly lifeless land. Between the rocks and sand, there were only short trees and plants that were strong against the dry heat. Under weak shadows, they breathed quietly.
‘You’re quite late today.’
“…Have little food now. And cannot drink water around here.”
He sighed when he thought about what he lost during the battle. Food, water and hunting tools. His battles with the Heroes were always dangerous. It was nearly impossible to stay alive without losing something.
It was a miracle he even still had his lover’s stone around his neck, and the hatchet that had been from his father.
‘There is a river up ahead. It is not very clean, but should be drinkable. I think there are also some fruits near it.’
Sheto took out some dried meat from a pouch, and chewed while he walked. The Heroes he had fought yesterday. They had been running for nearly two days.
With spirit magic, you could do things like detection or erase your presence. And so it was a situation where they could catch him by surprise easily if he lowered his guard. He had also lost arrows during the fight, and there were now less than ten left in his quiver.
“Few arrows. Hard to hunt or fight.”
‘And you were chased into this wasteland. However, few humans will step foot in this place. It’s a good way to lose pursuers.’
“But…wanted to do more preparation.”
‘…I told you, I’m sorry. However, they were moving faster than expected.’
Sheto smiled as he imagined the goddess’s expression.
“It’s fine. I, said that I wouldn’t expect much. From you?”
‘Now you are going too far! In that case, perhaps you should try navigating out of this place without my guidance!’
“Ah, that not good. Don’t do that, Salia.”
He surrendered, and the goddess laughed mischievously.
‘Now, now. What should we do? After all, I am an evil goddess now?’
“…Yes.”
He had chuckled when he first heard it, but now that he thought back, those words stung.
To them, he was an evil monster who slayed the Hero. And Salia was an evil, vengeful god.
In Sheto’s mind, he had not done anything wrong.
He harbored an anger towards these games played by the gods and demon kings. And he took it out on the Heroes.
They were the weakest monsters in the world, hunted by both humans and other monsters. But now, their voices would be heard.
However…
“He, had friends.”
‘…The Hero from yesterday?’
“The woman. Was crying. The spirit man, said he wanted to kill me.”
They had appeared to be genuinely sad.
Though, they had been trying to hunt down Sheto as a ‘rare monster.’ He could not forgive that, but in the end, they were all just pawns in this game. The only reason Sheto had been able to defeat the Hero yesterday, was because he had killed Salia’s brother’s Hero, and gained some power.
“I, really am a terrible monster.”
What was he? A monster who received protection from a goddess. And in order to go against what was established, he killed Heroes that were supposed to save the world.
“I, have no hate left. That Hero died. But, I still attract other Heroes to me. Because I’m a rare monster.”
‘…Indeed. Already, Heroes are gathering to this continent from all over Morania. You are level 36 now, and I have acquired other worlds, including my brother’s.’
“…I, cannot escape. Yes?”
Beyond the sky. In a world that he could not imagine, the goddess let out a sad sigh.
‘If I had only acquired a small territory, you could still have left. However, my brother had many worlds, and such gods are not allowed to withdraw from the game.’
“I see…”
It was the answer that he had expected. Luck had made her rich, and they would not just let her get away so easily.
“By the way, what about my level?”
‘…There was hardly any change with the experience points. In the first place, that last Hero was level 6. So you were six times more powerful.’
Including the last party, Sheto had now fought six Hero parties. Still, he did not hear the voice that announced his level up.
‘Yesta…the goddess of judgment. I asked her about it, but she said the majority of Heroes on this continent have a lower level than you.’
“Really?”
‘My brother chose this land as a ‘hunting ground,’ as there are fewer monsters, which would allow the Hero to go wild without worry. With a powerful divine vessel, the Hero could take on monsters that should have been beyond his capability… Though, we put a stop to that.’
Normally, something like this would be impossible. And it was done with the weakest monster.
And the result of it was that he had leveled up to an impossible degree.
‘Now, there is nothing to do but to defeat the subordinate of the Demon King who rules this continent. However, on average, they will be a little stronger than you.’
“But…I don’t feel stronger.”
‘It is the limit of the kobold race.’
He had not been strong to begin with. And so it was more difficult than adding strength to someone who was already strong. There was too much spend on making up for his deficiencies.
In spite of his achievements, what Sheto was able to do was raise his existing abilities a little, and use the art breaking skill. That was all.
‘Also, there is the method of offering protection by betting a world, just like my brother did.’
“Salia.”
Sheto stopped and looked up at the sky.
His brows furrowed and he shook his head.
“I, don’t want to do that.”
‘Sheto.’
“If I did, I will be the same, as the Heroes.”
Using worlds as security. In other words, seeing other worlds as numbers.
‘Do you know…how much hardships that decision will result in?’
“Those who join to play, cannot be helped. Those who target me, cannot be helped. But to offer unrelated folks… It is the same, as the Hero who killed my friends, ma and Lu.”
It was rather deceitful. After all, he had already killed people in order to acquire new power. In order to raise some numbers.
Still, he could not help but say it anyway.
Dealing with the lives of unrelated people. It would be no different from how the kobolds were treated. How they were assigned that ‘1 point.’
He would be going against everything he had felt at that moment.
‘…Indeed.’
While Salia agreed, she still continued.
‘However, if you end up in a position that you are about to die, then I will not have mercy. I will activate the protection.’
“Salia.”
‘In other words, fight well, so that I won’t have to do anything so drastic.’
She said with a smile. Sheto could smell in the wind, the other emotions that lurked beneath, and so he quietly lowered his head.
“Sorry. I, cause you trouble, Salia.”
‘It’s fine. I thought you would say that anyway. You stubborn ass.’
Sallia laughed, and Sheto laughed. The sun slowly warmed his back as it rose in the sky.
The world was getting brighter, and he could see far off towards the horizon.
‘In any case, that mountain over there. The Nobire mountain range. That will be the next goal.’
“Yes. Go to the forest. Many things I want to do, before next Hero finds me.”
Instead of being troubled over things they couldn’t fix, he should walk towards his next destination. That fitted his personality.
And so Sheto began to walk towards the green, foggy mountains.